Inclined elevator.



PATENTED APR. 10, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. 1mm. INGLINED ELEVATOR].

APPLICATION FILED $1111.11. 1906.

w$ww @vw'bl maaacp No. 817,338, V PATENTED APR.10, 1906. 31W. RENO.

INOLINED ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11, 1906.

- 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR PATENTED APR.10, 1906. "J. W. RENO. INCLINED ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11. 1906 a SHEETS-SHEBT s.

ATTORNEY No. amass.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ESSE W. RENO, a citizen ofthe United States of America, and a resident of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inclined Elevators, of which the fol lowing is' a specification.

My invention relates. to inclined elevators, in which steps of the general size and form of the steps of an ordinary stairway are pivotally connected to an endless chain and mounted upon an appropriate "inclined structure, upon which they may be driven in either direction to carry passengers up or down, as the case may be, from one level to another.

The object of my invention is to provide an elevator of this class which shall be simple and effective in its construction and operation, and especially one which shall be safe and convenient for passengers.

My invention consists inthe novel construction of the steps and in the novel combinations of the steps, the landings, and the inclined supporting construction, to be hereinafter more fully pointed out and described.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side view of the upper landing and a portion of the incline, partially in section, of an elevator constructed in accordance with my present invention. Fi 2 represents a similar view of'the lower lan ing, and Fig. 3 a partial sectionon line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged p an view of one of the steps with chain attached; and Figs. 5 and 6 represent, respectively, front and end elevations of the same.

The reference characters are used in the same sense throughout the drawings and the specification.

Numeral 1 represents one of the series of steps which, taken to ether, form the movable tread-platform oi the elevator. These steps are preferably formed of an integral casting, consisting of a horizontal web 2, forming the treadsupport, a front web 3, in clined downwardly and rearwardly from the front edge of the horizontal web 2., and end webs 4, which connect or join the horizontal and front webs. Formed upon the top of the horizontal web 2 are the longitudinaltread-ribs 5, longitudinal with respect to the general direction of the treadplatform, pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 11, 1906. Serial No. 295,591.

which are secured the pins 11.

Patented April TO, 1906 ducing the relatively shallow grooves 6 between said ribs. The rear ends 7 of the ribs 5 extendsome distance beyond the back edge ofthe web 2 and enter vertical grooves or slots 8 in the adjoining step, which slots or grooves are produced by the formation of the ribs 9 on the front of the inclinedweb 3, the ribs 9 being substantially triangular in shape, as seenfrom the end of the step. 1 (See Fig. 6.)

The upper surfaces of the ribs 5 form the tread surface proper of the step, and the-front edges of the vertical ribs 9 form the risers thereof. The ribs 9 are instaggered relation with the ribs 5'thatis to say, the ribs 5 are in hne with the grooves 8-and the rear ends 7 of the tread-ribs extend into the grooves 8 when the steps are in their operative position on the incline of the elevator. The purpose of this construction is to prevent the passen ge'rs foot or apparel from entering and be coming caught between the back edgefof one step and the riser of another, especially as the steps are changing their relative positions in passing to or from a landing. Formed on the outside of the end Webs 4 are the hubs 10, in These pins pass thr nigh links of the chains 12 and have mounted on their outer ends the truclewheels 13. On the inside of and secured to the end webs 4 are the pins 14, on which are mounted the truck-wheels 15.

The inner truck-wheels travel upon the in clined tracks 16, while the outer truck-wheels 13 travel upon the inclined tracks 17. On the straight portionsof the incline the tracks 16 and 17 lie in the same plane. At the upper landing a curve portion of track 18 is pro vided for the outer wheels and a curve track 19 for the inner wheels.

20 is the upper cofnb-landing, which is ro vided with teeth or prongs 21, adapter to enter the grooves 6 of the steps. tracks 18 and 19 are so formed and located that as the step approaches the comb-landing, and after it has reached the level thereof, it will be advanced substantially horizontally and permit the prongs 2]. ofthe comb to en- 10o ter the shallow grooves. The ends of the prongs being below the surface of the step, the passenger will be landed safely and gently upon the comb as the step advances and at terward recedes in its continued travel along 105 the curved tracks 18 and 19.

The curve 5 22' is the "comb-landing for: the lower end" i of the elevatonand it is provided with teeth or prongs 23, which extend forward zindienter the grooves-6 of the steps.

- 24 and 25 represent, respectively; the per-- tions'of trackon which t e inner and outer truck-wheels travel'while the steps are .COITllIlg into position at'the lower landing. Apair of sprocket-wheels 26 is provided at the upper landing, and a pair of similar sprocket-wheels 27 is provided at the lower landing. These wheels engage the chains 12 in a manner that is well understood, and either one or both may be drivenpbyany .appropriate 'means. .The

short sections of tracks 18 and 19 at the upper landing and 24 and'25 at the lower landing have short horizontal portions arranged at the proper distance apart vertically to maintain the tread-surface of the step in substantially horizontal position while the step is entering or leaving, as the case may be, the comb-landings. These horizontal portions mayjoin theinclined portions 16 and 17 in an angle, or

. "they may be connected therewith by curves,

as is well understood. The other ends of the curved track portions 18, 19, 24, and 25 are ,curved, so as to guidethe steps gently from tli'e 1str2 a.i ht horizontal portions to the pothe track 25 as the chain tends to' straighten v sitions t ey take in passing around the sprocket-wheels. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 2 that the tension on the chain at the lower, sprocket-wheel tends to" cause the track-wheels 13 to leave thetra'ckl? and outl; 1 In order to prevent this, I provide a guard-rail 28, which is placedover the track' wheels. 13 and holds them down inposition. It will be noticed from the manner in whichthe steps 2 are pivoted to-the. chains 12' that "as the steps become inverted in pass- Y whereby the. end of the. step farthest from the pin 11 engages the opposite end of the adjacent step. This means consists of 9. lug or cylindrical portion 29, formedupon an extension of one or more of the vertical ribs v9, which enga es the end 7. of the extension of the tread-ri s 5 .o'n that portion: of the treads belt which hangs in an inverted position.- lhis engaging means also prevents the step from, tipping when a heavy weight is brought to bear upon the extreme end of the extension'fi'. The operation of my invention will be obvious from the foregoing description. The

tread-belt may be driven ineither direction by merely reversing the power without any change in the mechanism orits adjustment.

ftruck-wheels.

Some difliculty has heretofore'been ex- 5 perienced in attempting toj construct an inclined elevator having steps ofthe general shape and size of an ordinary stalrway because of the difliculties of providingjmeans for preventing the apparel ofpass'engers,

especially the dresses of women, filom' becoming caught between the'front edge-of the step and the riser of the adjacent step.; By s means of my Improved construction thisdif- 1, ficulty is entirely obviated in a 'practicaland 7.5v

efficient manner and in a manner that does v not require extreme accuracy of construction. Hav ng thus descnbed my mventlon, what .I cla m'1s 1. A- series of movable steps for an inclined 8o elevator operatively connected together, the

riser of- .each step beinglprovided with slots adapted .toregister Wit projections formed on the tread or the adjacent step.

2'. 'A step for inclined elevators having its I tread portion composed of ribs ,iga nd having vertical grooves in its riser. adapted to receive the ends of the ribs of an adjacent step; 3. A step for inclined elevators having Ion;

gitudinal' grooves in its tread-surface,- and vertical grooves in'its riser instaggered relation to the grooves in said tread-surface.-

4. A step for inclined elevatorshaying lon-j gitudinal ribs on its tread, and groovesin its,

riser in line therewith, said groovesiincreas- 9 5- ing in depth from the upperfront edge ofthe step downwardly,

-51 A step for'incli-ned elevators having a v main horizontal web, a web joinedt'othe front edge. thereof, extending downwardly and inclined under said horizontalweband vertical ribs secured thereto to form a riser for said step. p x *1 =1 6.' A step for inclined elevators having-its tread-surface formed of longitudinal ribs secured to a horizontal web, and havingits ioo riser formed of triangular-shaped ribs joined to an inclined transverse web.. I I,

7. A step for inclinedelevators formed of a. horizontalweb for the tread, a. transverse web for the riser, and webs joinin said horizontal and transverse webs, an a pair of truck-wheels-at either end of said step, one

of eachpair of truck-Wheelsbeing mounted outside of. said end web, and one of each pair inside thereof.

8. -'A step horizontal web "for its tread-support, an 1nclinedfront web for its riser, and end webs joining said horizontal web andsaid riser, a pair oi'truc'k wheels secured to the inside of said end Webs, a pairof truck-wheels secured to the outside thereof, and chains in pivotal connection Withthejournals of's'aid outside 9. In an inclined elevator a series of'steps in pivotal connection witkarlendless chain,

and engaging rnea ns on the front and rear for-inclined elevators having a I portions of said steps to limit the turning of In testimony whereof I have signed my said steps upon. their pivots. name to this specification in the presence of 10. In an inclined elevator a series of steps two subscribing Witnesses.

in pivotal connection with a chain having exr i JESSE W. RENO.

5 tensions upon their front and reelportions WVitnesses:

adapted 'to mutually engage to limit the GEO. E. HARDY, turning of said steps upon their pivots. s EMILIE LUND. 

